Wednesday, May 27, 2015

How Cleaning Out My Closet Cleared My Mind

I've always been a fan of efficiency, and finding ways to be happier and healthier is my life mission. Which is why I'm so excited to share my latest unexpected wellness hack that has truly transformed my life. I'm hoping that you too will experience profound change by incorporating this minimalist approach to your physical and mental well being.

Have you ever noticed certain influential people wearing the same or similar outfit every time you see them? (Think Barack Obama, the late Steve Jobs or Mark Zukerberg) These high power people don their "uniforms" intentionally to conserve their creative energy for the tasks in their day that are more important than choosing an outfit. When I discovered this efficient trick, I thought "I could be on board with any idea that could provide me with more energy to do more important stuff as a busy mom and entrepreneur" so I dug a little deeper and discovered that a minimalist movement is happening all over the world, whereby people are building capsule wardrobes. A capsule wardrobe is simply a small wardrobe (usually between 20-40 pieces per season including shoes and jackets) where each piece can be worn interchangeably with every other piece. For the record, the idea of reducing my wardrobe to 40 pieces terrified me, but I know from experience that the things that scare me are usually the things worth doing. Creating a capsule encourages you to define your personal style, understand cuts and colours that work for you and best of all, it helps you remove the clutter in your closet that no longer serves you (and subsequently some of the clutter in your head) The general guidelines for creating your capsule are to try on every item in your closet and ask yourself three questions:

1. Does this fit? Is the colour flattering? Is the cut right for my body?

2. Is this piece right for my lifestyle and the season?

3. Does this piece excite me? Do I feel happy when I wear it?

You should be able to answer a definitive yes to all three questions when you keep an article of clothing in your closet.

During my research I found that the capsule wardrobe enthusiasts promised more time, less stress, greater self understanding and more creativity throughout the day. Did this sound good to me? Heck yes it did! So I spent 4 days intentionally creating my 40 piece spring wardrobe. Let me tell you, this was not an easy task for me; I've been a clothing hoarder of sorts since I can remember. With total apprehension, I chose to delete the expensive purse I've been holding onto for 4 years unused, and I removed my "just in case I need a conservative dress for someone's child's baptism" frock. I subtracted so many items that didn't fit me or my lifestyle that I ended up with 2 overflowing garbage bags full of stuff.

Were the enthusiasts right about the feeling of freedom I would have when I cut the clutter? Oh yes, and then some. While every persons journey is different, I personally feel completely liberated. I have received more compliments on my appearance than ever before. I feel calm and in control when I'm in my walk in closet. It takes me literally 60 seconds to choose a fabulous outfit. I am always excited by the clothing I'm wearing. I have more time. I feel like my life as a whole is more simple. When deciding to embark on this journey, I had no idea that something so seemingly superficial would have such a positive impact on my life. I feel like more as a person by having less in my drawers, which is definitely a great trade off for a bit of fear and apprehension.

For more info on capsule wardrobe planning, visit: www.project333.com.